Breaker strip construction



July 6, 1954 H. w. WHITMORE BREAKER STRIP CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 25, 1952 H. W. WHITMORE BREAKER STRIP CONSTRUCTION July 6, 1954 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1952 Aaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Patented July 6, 1954 BREAKER STRIP CONSTRUCTION Harland W. Whitmore, Kenosha, Wis., assigner to Motor Products Corporation, Detroit, Mich., e a corporation of New York Application February 25, 1952, Serial No. 273,165

(Cl. 22o- 9) Claims.

breaker strip is practically free of stress whenk installed on the cabinet. Also the slots in opposite edge portions of the breaker strip are of sufcient depth to freely receive the respective supporting flanges and permit limited relative movement of the breaker strip and adjacent portions of the cabinet.

The above construction renders it practical to surround the access opening in the cabinet with a continuous one-piece breaker strip formed of plastic or of materials having characteristics similar to plastics without the danger of damage Ycaused by the tendency of such materials to grow or move in response to temperature changes.

It is another object of this invention to provide the breaker-strip with a transversely bowed portion having` sufficient ilexibility to enable engaging the slotted edge portions with the respective supporting flanges by flexing the strip within the elastic limits of the material from which the strip is formed.

It is still another object of this invention to provide aV breaker strip of the above general type wherein the bowed portion affords a smooth, continuous exterior surface and also possesses the strength required to support substantial loads without deformation. This feature is especially important in instances Where the breaker strip is applied to the top 0f a home freezer cabinet, or in a position where it may be used as a temporary support or rest for articles being inserted into or removed from the cabinet.

\ It is a further object of this invention to provide a one piece, continuous breaker strip of polygonal shape having a division bar integrally connecting opposite sides of the strip and dividing the area enclosed by the strip into two separate openings.

The foregoing as well as other objects will be made more apparent as this description proceeds,

especially when considered in connection with, the

Figure 1 is a fragmentary end elevational view partly in section of a home freezer cabinet having a breaker strip embodying the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view through a part of the cabinet shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the breaker strip shown in Figure l;

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the breaker strip;

tFigure 5 is a side elevational View of the breaker s rip;

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are respectively sectional views taken on the lines 6 6, 'I-'I and 8--8 of Figure 3;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary top elevational View of a modified form of breaker strip; and

Figure 10 is a cross sectional View taken on the line ID-I of Figure 9.

The breaker strip forming the subject matter of this invention is shown herein for the purpose of illustration as installed on a home freezer type of cabinet I having an access opening II at the top normally closed by a suitable door I2. The cabinet I has an outer metal shell I3 and a metal liner I4 suitably supported within the shell I3. The walls of the liner I Il are spaced laterally inwardly from the adjacent walls of the shell I3, and suitable insulating material I5 is supported within the space provided between said walls.

As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings the walls of the shell I3 are return bent at the top edges to provide a double thickness of metal, and are fashioned to form a horizontal inwardly extending flange I5 at the top of the shell. The walls of the liner I4 are also return bent at the top edges to provide a double thickness of metal, and are fashioned to form an upstanding or vertical flange IT at the top of the liner. The Yflanges I5 and il extend around the access opening II in the top of the cabinet I0 and are offset from one another in a vertical direction. In other words the flange I5 at the top of the shell I3 lies in a horizontal plane spaced above the top edge of the vertical flange I'I on the liner It.

The space between the flanges I 6 and Il at the top of the cabinet is spanned or bridged by a breaker strip I3 molded or otherwise formed of a plastic material or of a material having characteristics similar to plastics. One type of material which has been found suitable is a modified styrene resin, although other types of plastics may be used. In any case the breaker strip I8 is of one piece construction, and extends continuously around the access opening ll at the top of the cabinet III.

Referringv now to Figures 3 to 8 inclusive of the drawings, it will be noted that the breaker strip I 8 is in the form of a polygonally shaped frame having side bars IS integrally connected at opposite ends by end bars 20. As shown particularly in Figure 6 of the drawings, outer edge portions of the breaker strip frame bars are fashioned to form forks or outwardly opening U-shaped parts 2l. The parts 2| provide outwardly opening slots 22, which are adapted to receive the edge portions of adjacent flanges IS on the outer shell I3. It will be noted from Figure 7 of the drawings that the bottom leg or flange 22 of the U-shaped portions 2| is interrupted or omitted at the corners of the breaker strip frame Vin order to facilitate assembly of the frame.

The inner edges of the `breaker strip frame bars are formed to provide forks or outwardly opening U-shaped portions 23. The U-shaped portions 23 are actually directed downwardly in the specific embodiment shown herein, and provide slots 24 for receiving the top edges of the flange II on the liner I4. In order to facilitate assembly of the breaker strip I8 with the respective flanges I6 and Il, the outer legs of the U-shaped portions 23 are interrupted at spaced points around the breaker strip to provide flanges 25 which extend for a relatively short distance along the respective frame bars I9 and 20 intermediate the ends of the latter.

The forked or U-shaped portions 2i and 23 at opposite edges of the breaker strip I8 are integrally connected by a transversely curved or upwardly bowed section 2B having a radius of curvature predetermined to locate the edge portions 2| `and 23 in the same relative positions as the flanges I6 and I1. Thus when the breaker strip frame I8 is installed on the cabinet I0, it is vsubstantially free from stress. In other words the cross sectional contour of the breaker strip I8 is the same before and after installation. It is also important to note that the slots 22 and 24 for respectively receiving the flanges I6 vand I1 on the cabinet are of suflicient size to permit movement of the breaker strip frame I8 relative to the cabinet. The foregoing features render it possible to mold or otherwise form the entire breaker strip I8 of one piece of plastic without the danger of cracking or otherwise damaging the strip as a result of the tendency of plastic materials to grow or move in response to temperature changes.

The transversely bowed section breaker strip frame I8 is sufficiently flexible to 'enable engaging the slotted edges 2l and 23 with lflanges V22 and 25 Ymay .be reduced somewhat in vorder to facilitate installation of the breaker strip.

In any case the breaker strip frame returns to its normal cross sectional contour after being flexed the extent required to assemble the same on the cabinet. It is also important to note that the bowed or curved cross sectional contour of the breaker strip imparts considerable strength to the Ystrip and enables the latter to withstand considerable loads without damage or deflection.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 9 and 10, it will be noted Athat the cabinet is divided into two separate compartments by a division wall 30. The top edge 25 of the s of the division wall 30 is received within a downwardly opening channel-shaped division bar 3I which is formed integral with opposite side bars of the breaker strip frame intermediate the ends of the latter. With the above exception the breaker strip frame is identical in construction to the one previously described, and the same reference characters are used to indicate corresponding parts.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A thermally insulated cabinet having a compartrnent therein provided with an access opening, an outer shell for said cabinet having an vouter flange substantially completely surrounding the opening and extending inwardly toward the center of said opening and generally parallel to lthe plane of the opening, a liner for said cornpartment having an inner flange substantially completely surrounding the opening and located inwardly of the compartment from the plane of said outer ange and inwardly toward the center of 'said opening from the inner edge of said outer flange, said inner flange extending outwardly of the compartment in a direction generally perpendicular `to the plane of said opening, a one-piece endless breaker strip of rectangular configuration formed of hard resilient plastic material adapted to be inserted as a unit into spanning relation to said flanges, said strip having transversely bowed straight side and end portions connected by curved corner portions, an exposed outer side and a concealed inner side, and each side and end portion having inner and outer edges, the inner and cuter edges of said side and end portions vhavingspaced parallel legs defining flange-receiving forks, the forks at the outer edges of said side and end portions extending outwardly from the center of said opening generally in a common plane and receiving said inwardly extending outer flange, the forks at the inner edges of said side and end portions extending inwardly of the compartment substantially perpendicular to said plane and receiving said inner flange, the legs of said forks at the concealed inner side of said side and end portions at both the inner and outer edges thereof terminating substantially short of the corners of said strip to provide sufiicient flexibility to enable assembly of said strip with said flanges.

2. Structure as defined in claim 1 in which said forks occupy the same relative position when said strip is unstressed as said flanges whereby said strip is substantially unstressed after assembly.

3. A one-piece endless breaker strip fraine of rectangular configuration having a front and a rear side, and comprising straight side and end portions each having an inner and an outer edge portion, said frame being formed of a hard, resilient plastic material, the side and end portions of said frame being bowed in transverse cross-section and connected at their ends by curved corner portions, the inner and outer edge portions of each of said side and end portions having spaced legs dening flange-receiving forks extending respectively rearwardly and outwardly of said frame in angularly related planes, the legs of the forks at the front side of said frame being continuous along the edges and around the corners thereof, the legs of the forks at the rear side of said frame and at both the inner and outer edges thereof extending along the central portions ofthe side and end portions but having ends terminating substantially short of the corners ofthe frame,'to increase flexibility of the frame and to provide for assembly of the frame with previously assembled supporting iianges spaced apartto occupy the same relative position as the spaces between the legs of said forks.

4. A one-piece endless breaker strip frame formed of a hard, resilient plastic material and of rectangular configuration having forked portions extendingalong the inner and outer marginal edges of the frame, said forked portions respectively lying in angularly related planes and being offset from one another in a direction eX- tending transverse to the frame,said strip also having a transversely curved portion integrally connecting the forked portions at opposite edges of the frame and being of thin wall section to provide the required elasticity to enable flexing the frame sufficiently within its elastic limits to respectively engage the grooves formed by the forked portions with laterally spaced supporting parts, the legs of the forked portions at the inner side of said frame and at both the inner and outer marginal edges thereof being interrupted at the corners of the frame to increase the flexibility of the frame and facilitate manipulation of the frame during assembly of the latter with the supporting parts.

5. A thermally insulated cabinet having a compartment therein provided with an access opening, an outer shell for said cabinet having an outer flange substantially completely surrounding the opening and extending inwardly toward the center of said opening and generally parallel to the plane of the opening, a liner for said compartment having an inner flange substantially completely surrounding the opening and located inwardly of the compartment from the plane of said outer flange and inwardly toward the center of said opening from the inner edge of said outer flange,

said inner flange extending outwardly of the compartment in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of said. opening, a one-piece endless breaker strip of rectangular configuration formed of hard resilient plastic material adapted to be inserted as a unit into spanning relation to said flanges, said strip having transversely bowed straight side and end portions connected by curved corner portions, an exposed outer side and a concealed inner side, and each side and end portion having inner and outer edges, the cuter edges of said side and end portions having spaced parallel legs defining flange-receiving forks, said forks extending outwardly from the center of said opening generally in a common plane and receiving said inwardly extending outer flange, means at the inner edges of said side and end portions shaped to overlie and conceal said inner ange, the legs of said forks at the concealed inner side of said side and end portions terminating substantially short of 'the corners of said frame to provide sufficient flexibility to enable assembly of said strip with said flanges.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

